Super 55 PTO clutch pack rebuild.

I inherited my father's Super 55 and know little about its history. The PTO has gone to slipping today while I was using a finishing mower. Got hot enough I could smell it. It had been failing to completely disengage until today and now it will not hold.
I have a shop manual and I have read what has been posted here and watched a video showing how to replace the clutch discs without doing a Z split.
My question is: Must I do a split to replace the clutch discs? Some say it must be done and others say it doesn't. The video was on a 550 but it's my understanding they are the same in that regards.
Any help or insight is greatly appreciated.

I split mine. Whether you need to or not, I
don't know, but it seems as you would almost
have to. I saw it as an opportunity to
change the rear main seal, front trans and
pto shaft seals, check the engine clutch and
clutch bearings, and then rebuilt the PTO
while I was there. I almost always reseal
both ends when I do a split. Most people
don't, just something I do,makes me feel
better I guess

First of all did you try to adjust the clutch? Do you have a loader on the tractor? How much "snap" do you have when you snap the clutch over center to engage it? They are not bad to split! You have a serial number. There were changes made in the seals, etc. in the center section. I am with R Boots, do it right while you in the center section. Questions?

It seemed to have positive engagement in the lever. Admittedly it didn't seem to be quite as much as my 770 but it never slipped until today when running the finishing mower. The pto shaft always seemed to constantly turn a bit without an implement attached to it as though something as not completely releasing. I figured perhaps a warped disc.
Today I noticed that it wasn't loading the engine in the tall grass. If I applied more pressure to the lever it would work fine. As soon as I released my grip it would slow down. After a few minutes of having to hold the lever back I noticed that the mower was again losing rpm's and engine was not loading in the tallest grass.
Within a few minutes I began to smell hot clutch so I gave it up and parked the tractor.
I have done my fair share of splits but never a Z split. I'm not so certain I'm up to the task now. No longer have a concrete floor on which to work nor the requisite stands and hoist. I'd have to do a driveway split and have the feeling the neighbors might take exception to that. That's why I was hoping for a simple repair as shown on the video.
No lift or other attachments, just a bare tractor. If there is a serial number tag I haven't noticed it. My main concern is that the throw out bearing and/or bearing carrier might have given up the ghost as well. But I'm confident the clutch pack is toast. Burnt toast at that.

Have you taken the inspection plate off and looked inside? serial number plate is by the clutch petal. does your PTO have the short handle of an early tractor or the longer handle which is most common? 40 pounds pull by the handle's knob is the amount of effort needed to engage the clutch.

I have not removed the inspection plate yet. Everything was hot yesterday afternoon when I stopped mowing.
As far as length of the handle, I'm assuming it's a long handle but then again I have nothing to base that on. The knob is just above the lift quadrant if that tells you anything. I did notice that it seemed to have a lot of free travel compared to my row crop models, and it didn't seem to require as much pull to engage. But it held fine up until yesterday afternoon.
I will go and look for a serial number tag here shortly after I down some coffee. Will keep you posted.

J. Here is what I found a bit ago. As I walked up to the tractor I recalled seeing the tag after cleaning it off a couple summers ago.
Model number 15-0005
Serial number 11-945-518
PTO lever knob is approximately 5 inches above the lift quadrant.
The reason I'm hoping for an "in chassis" rebuild is based on the fact I don't have a concrete pad in which to work. As well the other required hoists and stands.
Yes, I agree that splitting the tractor would be the best idea but not at this time. The most pressing issue is the fact I have today and tomorrow in which to do anything heavy. Tuesday morning I am having a second cataract surgery and that means no lifting or pulling. So sweating or exertion of any kind for 2 weeks. I kind of over did it after the first one 3 weeks ago and it made for a rather difficult time on more than one occasion. I don't want to mess anything up by working on something that could wait for a few weeks. In the meantime I could be ordering the parts and lining up a days help for when I can resume normal activities.
Thanks for the help so far.

Mine did the same thing when I was running the brush hog. I took the cover off the bottom and a piece of a clutch disc was laying on the bottom. I should fix it,but I've put clutches in my 1365 and 2-105 already this year and just can't work up the ambition to tear in to another one.

Okay gentlemen, here's the status thus far. After church I lifted the center section top housing and removed the pressure plate and disc's from the housing. The fiber discs were toast. Crumbled when I touched them. The metal discs had been hot as well and I don't trust them either. I will order a new clutch pack in a few days. This was much easier than I first expected but still no picnic. In the long run a Z split would probably been just as quick even if I had to borrow a floor space from someone who would let me use their building and I had to buy or borrow a hoist. But in a matter of 3 hours I had it ready to put back together. The most difficult part was getting the crumbled discs out of their splines in the drum.

Next concern. I heard mention of 2 Allen head set screws. I saw one on the center shaft just past the threads. Is it supposed to be visible? I assume it holds a key in place but haven't read that deeply into the subject. I'd hate to get to this point and overlook a simple set screw as I reassembled this thing.

Any other thoughts or suggestions while I'm this stage and before I go back together?

Thank you guys again.

I snapped a picture of the pile of crumbled fiber discs. Was wondering if I should replace the steels as well. I suppose since there's not but $60 -$75 difference between replacing everything and only replacing the fiber discs I should replace everything to be on the safe side.

There are 2 Allen screws that hold the clutch spider on the shaft. One is pointed and goes into a groove on the shaft. The other screw is to lock that one in place. There was a problem with the early Super 55 tractors (like yours) where the lock screw would work loose and fall out. There were changes made in the 2 screws length of the screws being one. It is very, very important to get those properly tightened!. I would Loc-Tite the locking screw or at least stake it so it can not work loose. Clutch adjustment should require about 30-35 pounds of pull on the handle and as the high spots on the disk so adjustment will change. I am surprised that you did not mention any oil leaks in the center section! It has been over 40 years since I put a PTO clutch in a Super 55/550! I may be forgetting a few other details.

It did appear to be damp with oil in the center housing. I think it had been visited before as I saw evidence of silicone around the rear main drive shaft housing.
As to the set screws. I noticed the outer set screw has about 3 threads showing. I'm not familiar with how it's supposed to look so, according to my description do you think is it backed out? I will put an Allen wrench to it just to check.
If the Allen screw has backed out could that have been my problem??

Btw....how do I know if I have the drive hub (spider) in the correct location before torquing the set screws?? I assume all the screw does is position the drive hub in the correct location on the output shaft.
Am I right or am I missing something??
Looking at the service manual and thinking about how the pressure plate pulls against the threaded "nose" of the drive hub I can understand how a set screw backing out could allow the drive hub to move on its shaft and cause the clutch tension to be reduced.

On a hunch I went and checked the set screw. Using a long Allen wrench I applied a bit of pressure and the screw came out. It is the single screw about 3/4 inch long. I noticed there was some oil around the shaft down in the bottom of the hole. I slid the hub off the shaft and it was wet with oil. At the back a tiny bit if what appeared to be 90 weight ran out. I can replace the seal at the back of the hub with the hub still down in the center housing. I have the tools with which to do that.
I don't know what exactly I'm to do about the bit of oil on the shaft and inside the hub. I believe a seal has given it up further back in the pto assembly. I can't do anything about that now as I didn't do a z split.
Silicone the shaft and hub a bit towards the back maybe?? Probably a waste of time.